Corporate Travel Destinations

Who says corporate travel is all about jets, hotels, and airports? The world is a place where many modes of transportation and even different meeting venue styles vie for corporate business. Here are some lesser known corporate travel alternatives:

• Trains – Trains are an older form of transportation, but modern bullet trains are amazingly swift. These trains can be found throughout Europe, Asia, and are even becoming a popular alternative in the United States.
• Boats – Boats come in many shapes and sizes, but many boats are designed to at least appear to be culturally and/or historically significant. Traveling up a river in a modern-day steamboat is safe, quiet, and even offers corporate travelers a way to relax while getting a little business done en route.
• Ships – Some boats are big enough to be called ships. While the distinction between the two can be a little blurry at times, most corporate travel on ships tends to take place on cruise ships. Cruise events and cruise meetings are also understandably popular.

No matter which style of alternative corporate travel is selected, remember that the choice can be used to portray the company in a certain light to employees, the public, partners, suppliers, and virtually anyone else. How people in a company travel and work says a lot about that company, and where that company holds its meetings and events can be equally important.

Many people are conscious of what they eat, and they try to make healthy choices when dining out. As a meeting planner, it is important to offer corporate travel participants the option of enjoying healthier fare. From snacks to business dinners, a meeting planner should be aware of the food choices available to corporate travel participants. Because traveling can be stressful and stress can lead to unhealthy eating, it is essential that healthy food options be available throughout the day. Instead of choosing restaurants with buffets or food stations, selecting restaurants from which corporate travelers can order off the menu. While a meeting planner cannot make a corporate traveler make wise food choices, they can offer then the opportunity to do so.

Providing corporate travel participants with healthy snacks and ensuring they have plenty of water is also an excellent idea. Snacks such as fruits and nuts or smoothies and protein shakes can be great alternatives to other types of unhealthy snacks. Having plenty of water at their disposal will also help corporate travel participants to stay well-hydrated, which can boost energy levels and prevent unhealthy eating. A meeting planner cannot guarantee that meeting participants will eat healthy while traveling, but a meeting planner can make healthy eating possible.

The Cyclades (or Kyklades) are a group of islands within the greater group of Greek Islands. These are the Greek Islands of the travel posters with the white Mediterranean-style architecture situated above pristine beaches surrounded by the azure waters of the Aegean Sea.

Make no mistake, these scenic islands are known the world over for their historic beauty, temperate climate and exciting ambiance. With that fame comes crowds, and in high season this is not the place to find a secluded retreat. This is; however, the place for people who know how to enjoy life. And for those people, the islands of The Cyclades are well worth the crowds.

The Islands of Santorini, Paros and Mykonos are excellent first-time visitor destinations and corporate travelers will find plenty of facilities for events or meetings. But on these islands, there are also plenty of opportunities for fun. The summers are hot with a bit of wind in August and September, so the beaches are full of sun worshipers. In the evenings most people go to the local taverns to sit and enjoy a drink while gazing on the beauty that surrounds them. There are regular ferries running between the islands and island hopping is a must for a Greek Islands trip.  In addition there are great Greek Island cruises that would be a perfect addition to your corporate meeting schedule or incentive travel package.  Many cruise lines offer itineraries to popular Greek Islands, so planners may want to consider booking an incentive cruise.  The group cruise planning tool at Seasite.com is the only online tool that will give you access to all cruise lines when sourcing a cruise.

It is not without reason that Cancun is known worldwide as a preferred resort destination. There's something for everyone in this tropical seaside vacation spot. Located on Mexico's eastern shores in the state of Quintana Roo, Cancun is a top pick for corporate travel planners who are looking for a temperate climate, sandy beaches and an active night life. Approximately 4 million visitors come every year to enjoy the area in 24,000 hotel rooms and dine in over 380 restaurants. Corporate travelers from the colder regions to the north especially appreciate the warm winter weather with average highs of 82°F in December. There's no better way to beat the winter blahs than a visit to this tropical retreat.

Urban legend would tell us that the location for Cancun was selected by computers. The fact is that a team of researchers worked to locate and select the city's ideal location. Modern day Cancun is the final result of a 1967 feasibility study conducted by Banco de México. Failing to locate enough private investors, the Mexican Government had to finance the first nine hotels. From those humble beginnings Cancun has grown to become a world-renowned tourist resort. Along with the many resort and vacation facilities, Cancun offers excellent venues for corporate meetings and events.